Historical Mystery Lovers discussion

Starting in April, we will have one historical mystery author featured every month. Group members are encouraged to read one (or more) books written by the author and to come back to the designated thread and tell us about it (is this a new to you author, would you read another, etc. This is so that we can add even more books to our ever growing TBR mountains :0)

Please post author suggestions in this thread. There will be a thread opened for each author separately where you can post book recommendations, comments and reviews for that author.

List of suggested authors
Charles Todd
James McGee
Lindsey Davis
C. W. Gortner
Laura Joh Rowland
Sharan Newman
Peter Tremayne
C.S. Harris
Carol K. Carr
J. Sydney Jones
Karen Maitland
Cora Harrison
Margaret Frazer
Paul Doherty
Anne Perry
Steven Saylor
Ellis Peters
Will Thomas
Bruce Alexander
Rhys Bowen
Charles Finch
Ashley Gardner
Kate Ross
Priscilla Royal
Mary Reed and Eric Mayer
Susanna Calkins
C. J. Sansom
Gary Corby
Kerry Greenwood
David Liss
Alan Bradley
Jacqueline Winspear
Frank Tallis
Tasha Alexander
Michael Gregorio
Deanna Raybourn
Anna Lee Huber
Judith Rock
M. Louisa Locke
S. K. Rizzolo
Emily Brightwell
Eleanor Kuhns
Barbara Hambly
Oliver Pötzsch
Matthew Pearl
Caleb Carr
Patricia Finney / P. F. Chisholm
Sharon Kay Penman
Michael Jecks
Susanna Gregory
Victoria Thompson
P. B. Ryan
John Maddox Roberts
Jason Goodwin
Elizabeth Peters
Stephanie Barron
Susan Elia MacNeil
Christine Trent
Simone St. James
Mel Star
Bernard Knight
Teresa (Tracy) Grant
Elizabeth Bailey
Felicity Young
Carol McCleary
Joanna Challis
Shirley Tallman
Andrea Penrose
Suzanne Arruda
Imogen Robertson
Jeri Westerson
Tony Hays
Boris Akunin
Karen Harper
Fiona Buckley
Kathy Lynn Emerson
Conrad Allen
Elizabeth Speller
Frances Brody
Alys Clare
Lauren Haney
Albert A. Bell, Jr.
Juliana Deering
Maureen Jennings
Gary Inbinder
Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Marilyn Todd
Edward Marston
Alyssa Maxwell
Sabrina Flynn
Rosemary Simpson
Sherry Thomas
Sara Sheridan
D. M. Quincey
Ashley Weaver
Julia Stuart
Carola Dunn
Tessa Arlen
Jane Finnis
Annelie Wendeberg
R. J. Koreto
Susan Spann
Caro Peacock
Sujata Massey
Sarah R. Shaber
Laurie R. King
Lyn Hamilton
Rory Clements
Kate Parker
Mary Lawrence
Amy Stewart
Steve Robinson
Leonard Tourney
David Wishart
Troy Soos
Carole Lawrence
Dianne Freeman
Jessica Ellicott
Shelley Noble
Sara Rosett
Lee Strauss
Beth Byers
Linda Wilcox
Anna Castle
Vivian Conroy
Elsa Hart
Ruth Downie
Colleen Gleason / C.M. Gleason
Michelle Cox
Jessica Fellowes
Candace Robb
Catherine Lloyd
Leonard Goldberg
Abir Makherjee
Edith Maxwell
Julie McElwain
Sarah Hawkswood
T E Kinsey
Ed Ifkovic
Jim Eldridge
Ann Swinfen
Lynn Messina
Kerry Tombs
M.J. Carter
Karen Charlton
M. Ruth Myers
Cay Rademacher
Malla Nunn
Ovidia Yu
Georges Simenon
Katherine Schellman
Michael Pearce
Clara McKenna
Jane Steen
Graham Brack
David Field
Irina Shapiro
Stuart Kaminsky
Michael Kilian
Wendy Wilson
John Pilkington
Rosemary Rowe
IJ Parker
Douglas Skelton
CJ Archer
Darcie Wilde
Ambrose Parry
Tessa Harris
MJ Lee
Robert van Gulik
Michael Russell
Rebecca Cantrell
Margaret Miles
David Fulmer
Alan Gordon
Charles Fergus
Nev March
A.M. Stuart
Fran Smith
S. J. Parris
Harini Nagendra
Allison Montclair
Maureen Ash
CB Hanley
Andrew Taylor
SG MacLean
Nancy Herriman
Ann Parker
Iona Whishaw
Barbara Cleverly
Charles O'Brien
Harriet Steel
Vaseen Khan
Magda Alexander
Rennie Airth
Ariana Franklin
Robert McCammon
Rachel McMillan
James Runcie
Nilima Rao
Amanda Flower
Maggie Robinson
CS Quinn
Alice Duncan
Hannah Dennison
Adele Jordan
Rose Pascoe
Lynn Britney
Deryn Lake
Stacie Murphy
Kate Bell

Master List of Featured Authors

2015

April: Karen Maitland
May: Judith Rock
June: Susanna Gregory
July: C. W. Gortner
August: Felicity Young
September P. B. Ryan
October - Christine Trent
November - Paul Doherty
December - J. Sydney Jones

2016

January: John Maddox Roberts
February: Simone St. James
March: Priscilla Royal
April: Anne Perry
May: Suzanne Arruda
June: Tony Hays
July: Charles Todd
August: Caleb Carr
September: Oliver Pötzsch
October: Frances Brody
November: Sharan Newman
December: C. S. Harris

2017

January: Alan Bradley
February: Karen Harper
March: Jason Goodwin
April: Margaret Frazer
May: S. K. Rizzolo
June: James McGee
July: Maureen Jennings
August: Elizabeth Peters
September: Laura Joh Rowland
October: Bernard Knight
November: Carol K. Carr
December: Elizabeth Speller

2018

January: Lauren Haney
February: Eleanor Kuhns
March: Patricia Finney
April: Imogen Robertson/Sabrina Flynn
May: Michael Gregorio
June: Matthew Pearl
July: Andrea Penrose
August: Victoria Thompson
September: Marilyn Todd
October: Lindsey Davis
November: Jeri Westerson
December: Gary Inbinder

2019

January: Peter Tremayne
February: Bruce Alexander
March: Kerry Greenwood
April: Tessa Arlen
May: Rhys Bowen
June: Steven Saylor
July: Joanna Challis
August: Sherry Thomas
September: Susan Spann
October: Alys Clare
November: Michael Jecks
December: Carol McCleary

2020

January: Kathy Lynn Emerson
February: Boris Akunin
March: Edward Marston
April: Annelie Wendeberg
May: Sara Sheridan
June: Susan Ella MacNeil
July: Susan Calkins
August: Sujata Massey
September: Sarah R. Shaber
October: C. J. Sansom
November: Anna Lee Huber
December: Cora Harrison

2021
January: Ruth Downie
February: Laurie R. King
March: Catherine Lloyd
April: Jacqueline Winspear
May: Fiona Buckley
June: Jessica Fellowes
July: Barbara Hambly
August: Abir Mukherjee
September: Alys Clare
October: Sara Rosett
November: Jim Eldridge
December: Kate Parker

2022:
January: Caro Peacock
February: Ovidia Yu
March: Ellis Peters
April: T. E. Kinsey
May: Candace Robb
June: Susanna Gregory
July: Elizabeth Bailey
August: Dianne Freeman
September: Leonard Goldberg
October: Michael Pearce
November: Ashley Weaver
December: C. S. Harris

Master List Continued:

2023
January: Gary Corby
February: Melvin Starr
March: Darci Wilde
April: I. J. Parker
May: C.M. Gleason
June: Leonard Tourney
July: Rosemary Rowe
August: Emily Brightwell
September: Robert Van Gulik
October: Rosemary Simpson
November: Tracy Grant
December: Paul Doherty

2024
January: Jennifer Ashley / Ashley Gardner
February: C. J. Archer
March: Ann Parker
April: Anna Swinfen
May: Deanna Raybourn
June: Victoria Thompson
July: David Field
August: Lee Strauss
September: Irina Shapiro
October - Nev March
November - Iona Whishaw
December - Maureen Ash

2025
January - Katharine Schellman
February - Charles Finch
March - A. M. Stuart
April - Amy Stewart
May - Andrew Taylor
June - Wendy M. Wilson
July - Tasha Alexander
August - Nancy Herriman
September - Ariana Franklin
October - Clara McKenna
November - Michael Russell
December - Anna Castle

Karen Maitland
Cora Harrison
Margaret Frazer

I second
Margaret Frazer and add
Paul Doherty
Anne Perry

Steven Saylor
Ellis Peters

Will Thomas
Bruce Alexander
Rhys Bowen
Charles Finch

I like all of the suggestions so far. I just started Will Thomas' series, and I'm enjoying it.

I'll add: Ashley Gardner (Regency)
Kate Ross (Regency)
Priscilla Royal (medieval)
Mary Reed and Eric Mayer (Byzantine Roman Empire)
Susanna Calkins (17th c. England)

C.J. Sansom (Tudor England)
Gary Corby (ancient Greece)
Kerry Greenwood (1920s Australia)
David Liss (17th century England)

C.J. Sansom (Tudor England)
Gary Corby (ancient Greece)
Kerry Greenwood (1920s Australia)
David Liss (17th century England)
Alan Bradley (1950s England)
Jacqueline Winspear (1920s and 1930s England, but also looking back to WWI)
Ellis Peters (medieval England)

Some others not already listed:

Rhys Bowen
Frank Tallis
Tasha Alexander
Michael Gregorio
Deanna Raybourn
Anna Lee Huber

Lots of good authors so far. I'm gonna throw in:

Judith Rock

Thanks so much everyone. We have 39 authors so far, so I'm going to pick April's featured author from this list.

Keep adding new authors as you think of them and they will go into the hat for next month.

The April featured author will be up in a new thread in a few moments. This will give everyone time to figure out which book they want to read for April and try and find it at the library or your favorite online supplier store.

Do we have M. Louisa Locke on the list? I saw her post here, so I think she's a member of this group. Authors may feel reluctant to suggest that we add them (I know I do).

Also: We can add Emily Brightwell and Eleanor Kuhns.

Barbara Hambly

Oliver Pötzsch

S.K. wrote: "Do we have M. Louisa Locke on the list? I saw her post here, so I think she's a member of this group. Authors may feel reluctant to suggest that we add them (I know I do)."

We do now and I've added you as well S.K. :0)

C.J. Sansom ends with an 'm,' not an 'n.' (Just looking over the list, which looks really nice.)

Susanna - Censored by GoodReads wrote: "C.J. Sansom ends with an 'm,' not an 'n.' (Just looking over the list, which looks really nice.)"

Fixed :0)

I'm adding Matthew Pearl and Caleb Carr to the list.

Good list!

I didn't see Patricia Finney/P.F. Chisholm (same author) - Elizabethean England

When you get a chance Lauren, Paul Dohertyjust needs a spelling fix.

Added and fixed!

Although she is not primarily a mystery author, Sharon Kay Penman does have a 4 book mystery series - set in the England of Richard the Lionheart

Michael Jecks has a long series set in the reign of Edward II

Added!

Oh yes, Susanna Gregory, who has historical mystery series set in both 14th century Cambridge, and 17th century London.

Done!

I'll suggest Victoria Thompson and P.B. Ryan (Patricia Ryan), both authors of American Historicals, one post-Civil War and one turn of the 20th century.

Thanks Merle. I've added them.

Lauren wrote: "Starting in April, we will have one historical mystery author featured every month. Group members are encouraged to read one (or more) books written by the author and to come back to the designated..."

This is a great list of authors! I've read something by a majority of them. John Maddox Roberts also has a good Roman series!

Lauren wrote: "Master List of Featured Authors

2015

April: Karen Maitland"

Great! I've read one by her and have The Owl Killers right here in front of me. I guess I'll read it in April!

Added John Maddox Roberts

Ashley wrote: "Great! I've read one by her and have The Owl Killers right here in front of me. I guess I'll read it in April! "

Great. Make sure to drop by the discussion thread when you're done and tell us about it :0)

Jason Goodwin on The Ottoman Empire

I feel like it will never end!!

What about Elizabeth Peters?

Love the idea! Thanks, Lauren!

Thanks Candace and Michelle. I've added them.

Added Christine Trent and Simone St. James to the list

How soon in advance will you name the author of the month or will it not be in advance??

Just curious
thanks Lauren

Candace wrote: "How soon in advance will you name the author of the month or will it not be in advance??

Just curious
thanks Lauren"

I was thinking the middle of the month, which is tomorrow but I can post it early :0)

Off to put the names into the randomizer...

Our featured author for May 2015 is Judith Rock

Thanks Lauren! I wasn't too into the books by last month's author, but this month's author is in my 'to read' list.

Our featured author for June 2015 is Susanna Gregory

Might I suggest adding Imogen Robertson to the list? I am currently reading the first of her Crowther and Westerman series, Instruments of Darkness

]I don't know if one can be considered, but a group of Mediveal/early modern era mystery authors have gotten together and put out a series.

The template for the books normally begins with some event before the time period of any of the authors series and then the author will use that event in writing his entry in the time period for his character. The book then concludes in modern times.

The Medieval Murderers

The series is up to 10 books

the group includes Susanna Gregory, Micheal Jecks, Bernard Knight, Ian Morson, C.J Sansom amoung others. The contributing authors vary from book to book

I'm currently reading #9 in the series. The connecting theme is the relics of a young woman supposedly killed by Vikings defending her virtue, but her story is not quite what has come down. Her relics (bones) have featured in each of the stories so far.

Gretchen wrote: "Might I suggest adding Imogen Robertson to the list? I am currently reading the first of her Crowther and Westerman series, Instruments of Darkness"

Added. Thanks Gretchen

happy wrote: "]I don't know if one can be considered, but a group of Mediveal/early modern era mystery authors have gotten together and put out a series. "

Thanks for the suggestion, happy.
As this is a series with numerous contributing authors, I'm going to open a discussion thread for it in the Series folder.

Here's the link - The Medieval Murderers Series Discussion

Of course, members can choose to read any of the books when a particular author is chosen as the featured author. If I remember correctly, someone read Karen Maitland's contribution to this series when she was the featured author.

Lauren wrote: "happy wrote: "]I don't know if one can be considered, but a group of Mediveal/early modern era mystery authors have gotten together and put out a series. "

Thanks for the suggestion, happy.
As th..."

Tnx Lauren

Another author I've just read and didn't see in the list

Jeri Westerson

series set in the reign of Richard II, kind of Sam Spade meets John of Guant/Henry Bolingbroke - seven volumes

happy wrote: "Another author I've just read and didn't see in the list

Jeri Westerson

series set in the reign of Richard II, kind of Sam Spade meets John of Guant/Henry Bolingbroke - seven volumes "

Added :0)

Hmmmm- I don't think I saw Tony Hays on the list. He has written a series of "Arthurian mysteries". No magic- his approach is totally from historical point of view.